


Terminal

by Kiloueka, MeetTheTank



Category: NieR: Automata (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery Illness, Terminal Illnesses, Trauma, dog ending, feral androids, hopelessness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:00:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14975768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiloueka/pseuds/Kiloueka, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeetTheTank/pseuds/MeetTheTank
Summary: What if 2B was never infected with a virus at the beginning of route C, but instead crashed her flight unit and was trapped beneath a mountain of rubble?





	1. The End

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely not the usual storytelling format I'm used to. What started as a short summary for a sad fic turned into a longer, more complete... whatever this is. 
> 
> If you haven't read up on feral androids... you might wanna check this out before diving into this.  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/14928071/chapters/34583156

"Huh? W-Wait. What are you...? No!”

“Stealth function released!”

“YoRHa Unit 2B's stealth function unlocked.”

“Wait! ...2B! 2B!”

 

2B draws the fire of the infected YoRHa units away from 9S as she takes command of his controls and sends his flight unit to safety. She continues fighting the corrupted androids in a losing battle until her craft is destroyed and is sent hurtling into the abandoned shopping mall.

She wakes up to find she's deeply buried in layers of rubble and the remains of her flight unit. She suffered massive damages and if she weren't in a dazed shock she would have been amazed she even survived. Her legs were crushed and a large metal beam pierced through her abdomen. She closes her eyes and accepts her fate, happy she was able to finally save 9S after killing him for so long... until she hears his panicked voice echoing through the ruins, calling out her name.

She weakly calls out to him when he's right above her, hoping to have enough strength to say her final goodbyes to him. But she's stopped short when she hears him frantically tossing rubble aside in attempts to reach her. She cries at him to stop, that she's not worth saving and that it's too dangerous for him to keep digging but he ignores her pleas and continues digging.

She's too damaged to keep arguing after a while so she just lies there as 9S keeps working. He talks to her to help her stay conscious, trying his best to remain calm for her. The best she can do in return is reply with grunts and one-word answers; her strength is quickly fading and 9S knows he has very little time to get to her. He calls the Resistance for help but they're all tied up with fighting the machines and infected YoRHa units. So he just starts crying out for anyone nearby... but nobody came.

Eventually infected YoRHa find them; 9S tries to hold them off but there's too many and they start to overpower him. Things are looking grim for him but there's no way he'd leave 2B behind, not after all they've been through together. When he feels like he's about to meet his end, A2 comes out of the shadows and finishes the last of the YoRHa off.

The moment the last one is dead, 9S jumps back into action and continues digging down to 2B. He doesn't even know if she's still alive at that point, he just needs to get her out and at least be able to hold her body and say goodbye. So he turns to A2 and begs her to help him. She just kinda stands there for a moment and stares at this pitiful looking boy just crying and pleading. They both know she doesn't owe them anything for all the times they've tried to kill her in the past but she finds herself walk over and start tossing off huge slabs of concrete until they finally uncover 2B.

She's still just barely conscious and reaches out to him and he takes her hand and tries not to freak out at the huge pole stabbing through her abdomen. He knows if they remove it she'll bleed out and overheat in less than a minute but he also can't just leave her like that until a medic can arrive.

Before he can figure out what to do, a rogue machine rushes out of a nearby area and blasts A2 square in the chest, sending her flying backward into the precarious pile of rubble looming over 2B and 9S. The force of her impact causes a landslide of concrete to collapse on them, knocking 9S unconscious. More and more machines start to swarm in and A2's in bad shape from that blow so she drags 9S out from under the rubble and runs towards camp, leaving 2B behind.

9S wakes up two weeks later to find out nobody went back to uncover her body because the place is still crawling with machines now and they can't risk it. So he just books it over there without even checking to see if his systems are all back online and functional. Devola and Popola try to stop him but it's as if he didn't even hear them, so they call on A2 to trail him and make sure he doesn't get himself killed.

He arrives at the shopping center and starts tearing through machines left and right. A2 shows up soon after and reluctantly starts helping him. She can tell by his determination that there's no convincing him to step down so she doesn't try. It takes them much longer than he would have liked but they eventually get through all remaining enemies until there's nothing between him and the place 2B is buried.

He gets down and tosses the remaining bits of rubble away to find... she's still alive. He nearly vomits at the state she's in; she's covered in injuries from head to toe. Her hair and clothes are caked with blood, rats have eaten away at the leather on her boots and gloves, and her entire body is caked in a thick layer of muck.

She was trapped there, alone, surrounded by the enemy with near-fatal injuries but somehow kept holding on against all odds. She had no idea if 9S survived or not so so the entire time she was breaking down inside because she feared the worst. She was torn between wanting him to move on and let her die down there and wanting him to come and save her because she can't bear the thought of being without him.

2B uses the last of her remaining energy to turn her head and look 9S deep in his eyes. It was a look of disbelief, of hope, of despair, of exhaustion, of relief all somehow mixed together in a single expression. Seeing her like that just fucks 9S up so much and he can barely hold it together getting her back to camp. He snaps at A2 and Anemone for not going back to check but A2 smacks him on the head and says their pods didn't pick up any Black Box signal and it was hard enough getting him back to camp alive.

He takes her to Devola and Popola and they do their best to repair her but between the initial crash and being trapped there for two weeks, there's only so much they can do. They notice a lot of anomalies in her internal systems but don't quite understand what or how serious they are compared to the damages they do understand.

The three of them get her cleaned up as much as they can and wipe the thin layer of strange black slime that's beginning to coat some of her organs. They pass it off as just gunk that collected while she was impaled and the inside of her body exposed to the elements. They patch her back up and 9S takes her back to their room and starts researching more complex repairs.

They were able to fix the bigger issues easily enough, so the danger of her Black Box suddenly shutting down for good is much lower. However, she's still in critical condition; the overall wear and tear built up all over her body and severely weakened her. The endo-frame in her legs had been completely shattered and chances of ever regaining more than a small amount of mobility were very low. The only way they could have fixed something like that before was to send her back up to the Bunker for replacements...

9S searches around and begins salvaging parts from dead YoRHa units. He successfully replaces some parts, but 2B's body seems to reject any leg replacements, so they give up for the time being and leave her damaged ones as they are. She can get around camp fairly well on crutches but fighting is out of the question for her. Not being able to fight alongside 9S and protect him makes her restless and agitated and jumpy which only accelerates her condition.

9S keeps working non-stop to find out a cure, but after a week of no sleep searching, he's also become very agitated and lethargic. 2B basically has to force him to shut down to get some rest. She pulls him into a hug and just holds him for a while. He gets so many mixed emotions from it since she's being so tender and kind to him and he loves being held by her but he can also really feel the effects of her condition from her rough breathing, feverish temperature, tremors, and abnormal Black Box noises.

Over the next few days, she starts coughing up black sludge that smells strongly of oil and rust. The Resistance is sympathetic at first, but the worse she gets, the warier they become. A lot of the symptoms 2B is showing are similar to symptoms of early viral contamination, and after the whole YoRHa virus outbreak, they're all still on high alert. 9S keeps running a virus check every few hours to show them she's clear but after 2B lashes out at a Resistance member who startled her, Anemone is forced to take action.

She says 2B has to stay in their room until they figure out a cure, or until she dies. If she gets out and harms another Resistance member, she'll have to force them to leave camp and find a secluded location, or worse...

9S takes it pretty badly and starts screaming at them for threatening to abandon her like that. After all she's done for them. After fighting the colossus in the ocean. After killing Adam and Eve. After killing so many infected units before having to detonate her Black Box. After everything, they're just going to turn their back on her?

Anemone almost loses her cool because she absolutely hates having to give those orders, and here 9S is throwing accusations at her. But with everything that's happened with the fall of YoRHa and the mysterious tower showing up, they don't have the ability or resources to keep supporting a dangerous, potentially infected, dying android.

He goes back to 2B, who's frantically scrubbing her hands and face even though the blood from the other android has long since been washed off. She knows she's starting to lose herself more and more. She's having more short-term memory issues and aggressive outbursts, and she even verbally snapped at 9S a few times. And he keeps having to clean more and more black sludge out of her every day.

9S just kinda goes over to her and holds her for a while before he gets the courage to tell her what Anemone said. 2B sighs softly and simply accepts it, saying she's outlived her usefulness and he's better off killing her before she hurts anyone else.

She's so torn up inside because the only upside to YoRHa falling was that she didn't have to be 2E anymore, but now whatever the hell is wrong with her might drive her to hurt and kill innocent people again. She doesn't even know if she could stop herself from hurting 9S if she keeps progressing like that. He says he doesn't care. He'll find a cure if it's the last thing he does.

2B's condition starts getting worse faster now that she's cooped up in the room all the time. She finds herself chewing on her hands or other objects nearby and doesn't remember starting it. Happy memories with 9S are starting to corrupt and fade and she has frequent flashbacks of killing him. She gets confused one day when he calls her 2B and not 2E.

Soon after she starts to fear him... or rather, fear herself for what she might do to him. She starts to get really scared when starts to forget him for brief moments at a time. She nearly freaks one morning waking up to see this 'stranger' standing over her bed but she remembers him before she does anything rash.

One day 2B has a bad episode when 9S is out searching for a cure. She wakes up and doesn't recognize anything around her, so she freaks out and busts down the door and runs into camp screaming. She's stumbling around and can barely stand upright because of her legs but she still runs into some poor Resistance member nearby and attacks them.

Anemone sees this and grabs a gun and is about to shoot her when 9S rushes over and pulls her off and calms her down. 2B comes to and realizes what she's done and just starts vomiting a ton of black sludge out and 9S has to practically drag her back to the room.

He locks them in there and just kinda starts crying with her. Anemone comes to the door and is just like “2B, 9S. I'm sorry, but you have to go.” 2B's voice is starting to become glitchy but she manages to force out a response when 9S can't. He looks her in the eyes and sees how dull and lifeless they've become... and knows he has to follow those orders and get her someplace safe.

They pack up and within an hour they're gone. There's only one place they know of that's safe and secluded enough for them to comfortably hide away in: the Lunar Tear field. When they arrive, 9S sets up a makeshift camp in the corner of the room and lies 2B down on the mat. She's quiet the entire time, just barely holding it together and trying not to break down crying.

After 9S does what he can to make he comfortable, he lies down and cuddles up next to her. They lie their quietly for a while and he just strokes her hair and listens to her ragged breathing when she turns away from him and mumbles.

“Nines... I'm not going to get better... am I?”

9S just kinda like... breaks right there. He freezes up and he can't speak for the longest time because he desperately wants to tell her it's going to be ok but they both know he hasn't gotten any closer to a breakthrough since he started looking for a cure. He knows how much pain she's in and how it's only a matter of time before she loses herself enough to turn on him. He chokes back a sob and just quietly whispers.

“I don't know anymore...”

And he just breaks down and starts crying about everything. About how useless he feels. About how hard he's trying. About how much she's suffering from his inability to figure out what's wrong with her. He curses the machines and YoRHa, and himself for everything they did to her. Why her of all people? She doesn't deserve any of this.

“Yeah... I do...”

He breaks down even more and goes on about how much he doesn't care about what she did in the past. About how much he loves her now and wants her to get better so they can be a family and end the machine war together and forge a new path towards the future.

She smiles weakly and turns back to him and buries her face in his chest again. She desperately wishes the same thing but knows how unlikely it is now so she just says...

“Nines... promise me... if I lose myself enough to try to hurt you... I want you to kill me.”

He kinda sobs again and is just like “There's no way I can live without you... not after everything we've gone through together. What am I supposed to do after you're gone?”

2B goes quiet for a while and says...

“I want you to... end this war... Keep looking for... a cure... And make it... so nobody... has to... suffer this way... ever again.”

And after a long, strained silence, he mouths “I promise.”

 

Her condition worsens even more over the next few days to the point where he has to open her up every few hours to clean the sludge from her circuitry. She mostly just listens to him talk to her while he keeps going over whatever data he can find.

One day he wakes up and she's not next to him. He panics and searches frantically until he finds her curled up behind Kaine's shack, partly buried in the dirt and breathing weakly. He approaches her cautiously and calls out to her but she doesn't register he's there until he places his hand on her shoulder.

She screams and lashes out at him with more strength than he thought possible in her condition. She hits him square in the face, splitting his lip and cracking some teeth, sending him falling backward and knocking him senseless against the cave wall. She bolts and rushes up the elevator before he can recover.

When he finally gets to the surface he can't see her anywhere but she left a trail of tar that leads him into the forest area. He follows them until he starts hearing her screeching angrily at something. 9S turns the corner to see 2B facing off A2 who's already holding her bloodied sword out to her. 2B's snarling and dripping blood and sludge from a cut across her chest.

9S screams at them to stop and pulls 2B away from A2. She screams again and bites him hard before breaking free but doesn't get very far before collapsing in the dirt and passing out.

He runs over to her and wraps his arms around her and pulls her into a hug as he breaks down. He cries and screams and apologizes again and again for failing her. A2 stands there and watches until he exhausts himself crying. She puts her sword away and approaches him and says...

“How much longer are you going to let her suffer like this?"

And he looks at 2B, and to the blood running down his arm and face and just lets out a defeated sigh and says...

“Not any longer... I just need... some time to say goodbye...”

He picks her up and carries her back to the Lunar Tear field and does his best to clean them both up before she regains consciousness.

When she wakes up, 9S is still holding her and doing his best to smile, but she can see the pain in his eyes and the cuts and bruises on his face and she just knows it's time.

He tries to talk about unrelated things, just like the old times. Then he starts telling her how much he cares about her, and how much he loved the time he got to spend with her, even if it was hard to bear. 2B does her best to reply and say how much she loves him and what a kind, gentle person he is.

When a particularly violent coughing fit interrupts them, she looks at him when it subsides and they both know what he has to do.

9S gently lies 2B down on the mat and climbs on top of her just like she did for him after the battle with Eve. He leans forward and places a soft kiss on her lips. Nothing else existed in his world at that moment beside her; he doesn't even register the rusty creaking of the descending elevator.

He mouths “I love you” one more time...

...and wraps his hands around her throat...

 


	2. Letter from 2B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Right before Anemone forces 2B and 9S to leave the resistance camp, 2B leaves something with Anemone for her to give to 9S after she’s dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MeetTheTank threatened me with this if I kept saying things about this story that made her sad. I didn't stop :3c

> _In my brief moments of lucidity, I see those glowing white flowers. Their names escape me right now, but I remember promising to go back to see them. In that place where they all grew._
> 
> _But we never did._
> 
> _Our Special place…_
> 
> _Sometimes I forget that you’re always with me, my mind fades more every day. Sometimes…I forget your name, what you look like, who you are…what you mean to me._
> 
> _But I remember that you’re out there somewhere. And I wait for you to come and see me…_
> 
> _But you never do._
> 
> _I know I’ve done terrible things to you. Things that you should never forgive me for._
> 
> _I wish I could change._
> 
> _But I can’t._
> 
> _When I’m able to think beyond the pain, I stare at the cracks in the ceiling, the dirt on the floor, your tools and belongings scattered across our room, and think about how unfair it all is._
> 
> _To me…to Anemone…_
> 
> _To you…_
> 
> _It’s getting difficult to hold this pen, but I feel if I don’t do this now….That this may be my last chance._
> 
> _I think you know what I mean._
> 
> _Despite everything, I’m glad you’ve stayed with me all this time. I don’t think I would have lasted this long without you._
> 
> _But…I’m afraid, 9S._
> 
> _…_
> 
> _Every time you come to see me, I can tell how hard this is on you. I don’t know if you pity me, or I disgust you. Maybe you hate me…_
> 
> _I realized I was going to die not long ago, but I still… I couldn’t accept it._
> 
> _Between that realization and my fading mind…I lashed out at everyone. Even you._
> 
> _That’s why I‘d understand if you do hate me._
> 
> _I deserve it._
> 
> _But…_
> 
> _I want you to know this, 9S._
> 
> _I will always love you._
> 
> _Even though our lives together were stained with blood, embroiled in war, and had to…end like this…_
> 
> _I wouldn’t trade that time for the world._
> 
> _…This letter has gone on too long, so I’ll say goodbye._
> 
> _I told Anemone to give this letter to you after I’m gone._
> 
> _I can’t tell you to remember me, but I can’t bear for you to forget me._
> 
> _…I’m so sorry for what I’ve done to you._
> 
> _You’ve given me so much…and all I’ve done is take. Your memories, your life, over and over again…_
> 
> _I want you to live for yourself now. Do what’s best for you. Please…live on despite the hell I’ve put you through._
> 
> _Nines…_
> 
> _You made me happy._
> 
> -2B


	3. 2B needs a [B]ath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4S found a cure just in time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I'm a salty bitch and also very tired I'm going to give them a happy ending. Suck it!

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

“9S!”

He squeezed harder, pushing that nagging sound at the back of his head further away.

“9S stop it you idiot!”

9S shook his head and turned in surprise to see A2 standing at the entrance, panting hard and holding a strange looking bottle. She walked over to them briskly and nearly shoved the container in 9S face.

“4S found a cure. Turns out these E-Drugs here are so powerful they completely flush out your insides and reset your code or something like that.”

“Wait what? Are you serious?”

“That's what he said.” She shrugged.

He turned to 2B and held her up tenderly in his arms. “2B... drink this, it might be our only chance.” 2B looked at him for a moment before opening her mouth and letting him pour the liquid down her throat.

At first, nothing happened. But after a few minutes of tense silence, 2B's head began to sway and her eyelids drooped and she started to babble on about there being dogs running along the ceiling. All of a sudden her body went rigid and she turned and heaved up an ungodly amount of black tar all over everything and collapsed back on the mat.

9S screamed her name again and again until A2 smacked him on the head and told him she was just unconscious. He calmed himself and waited with bated breath until 2B's systems came back online.

“2B... 2B can you hear me?” He cried out.

“Ungh.” 2B groaned and pried her eyes open... her hazy blue eyes.

“Did it work???” He gasped. “2B how do you feel?”

“Ugh... like shit...” She groaned. “Sticky, legs hurt, head hurts... neck hurts... What the hell happened just now?”

“I... you... it worked! 2B it worked! You're all better now! You're cured! I think I'm gonna cry!” He threw himself on her, not caring that he was getting black sludge all over everything.

“...I think I need a bath.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending B:  
> 2B needs a [B]ath


	4. What the Fu[C]k?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bork

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

“Yip!” A muffled high-pitched bark made them both jump and look around wildly for the source of the noise. 2B even seemed to perk up a bit as the strange sound put her on alert.

“Yip!” It came again. 9S looked down to realize the strange sound was coming from... inside 2B? The two shared a confused glance before 9S cautiously removed the panel covering 2B's chest.

“Yip yip!” The moment the panel was loose it was shoved aside out of 9S' hands by the head of a small, white, fluffy dog, covered almost entirely in sludge. It looked up at him and wagged its tail, little pink tongue lolling out of its mouth.

“What the fu...” They both whispered, sharing yet another glance at each other and then back at the dog, and then back each other. 9S slowly reached forward to pick it up when all of a sudden it stood up and shook its body, sending droplets of tar in all directions. 9S tried to shield himself from the splatter, but both he and 2B were quickly coated in it.

“Dog you need to—” 9S reached out again but the dog flopped on its back with its little legs waving in the air. 2B's face was painted with fear and confusion and discomfort as she tried to sit upright, but she couldn't manage more than an arm flop.

All of a sudden the dog began to vibrate. Its legs pointed straight up in the air and its body went rigid as it vibrated faster and faster. At this point 9S was too dumbstruck to even respond, they both just watched as the dog slowly started almost magically pulling every last drop of tar in 2B's chest into it's now completely blackened fur. The light returned to 2B's eyes and the color flowed back into her cheeks. When her internal hardware was completely spotless, the dog flipped back to its feet and hopped out of her chest.

 

_The dog absorbed the corruption._

 

“Did... did this dog just...” 9S whispered.

“Arf!” The tar coated dog wagged its soggy tail and bounded toward the open elevator. It passed A2 who had been standing there frozen and staring the entire time with a bottle of E-Drugs held loosely in her hand. When it climbed inside, the doors automatically closed and the elevator quickly creaked upward.

9S blinked and looked back at 2B, who had sat up to stare inside her now-clean body.

“Did... did that dog just...” 2B whispered.

“I... I... how do you feel..?”

“I feel... my head... it's clear... I feel... better... I don't know how... or why... that dog just...”

“It cured you! You're ok! You're ok!” 9S burst into tears as the realization hit him. “2B oh I almost lost you. I thought it was over... and then the dog... I don't even care how any of this happened. You're ok and that's all that matters.” He quickly replaced 2B's chest panel and pulled her into a hug, sobbing into her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him and broke down crying as well.

“What the fuck tho.” A2 blinked before shaking her head and turning to leave. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending C:  
> What the Fu[C]k?
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NLAUARFWrc


	5. Re[D]ownload

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9S contacts tech support.

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

“9S!”

He squeezed harder, pushing that nagging sound at the back of his head further away.

“9S stop it you idiot!”

9S shook his head and turned in surprise to see A2 standing at the entrance, panting hard while supporting herself against the doorway.

9S released his grip on 2B's throat, who let out a sputtering gasp, she used what remained of her energy to prop herself up to watch A2 as she approached.

“4S found something.”

“What?!” 2B and 9S gasped in unison.

“What is it? Tell me!” 9S cried.

“You're uh... not gonna believe a word I say so just come with me.”

“W-wait, what?”

“Just trust us.”

“O-ok.” 9S stuttered. He turned to 2B and she gave him a slight nod of approval before her energy gave out and she lay back down. 9S shook his head and made sure she was comfortable and secure before brushing himself off and warily following A2 up the elevator.

 

“You want me to _WHAT?!”_ 9S barked at the dark-haired scanner standing at the base of the tower.

“I know, I know it sounds ridiculous, but just... try it.” He handed 9S the strange-looking phone dangling from a long line.

“Fine! Fine!” 9S huffed. “It's not like this can get any worse if this turns out to be some sort of sick prank.” He gave his fellow scanner and the dirty cryptid attacker a suspicious glance before grabbing the phone.

There was only one blank button on the receiver, so he tentatively pressed it and held the device to his ear. It rang twice before a feminine robotic voice began talking. It listed off half-a-dozen directories before 9S heard the one he was waiting for.

“A-android repair.” He responded timidly. The voice paused and began again. 9S followed along intently as it read off another huge list.

“Other.”

“Other.”

“Other.”

“Other.”

“Look it's some weird issue that's only been recorded like three other times can I just speak to an operator?”

“Speak. To. An. Operator.”

“Manager?”

“Someone in charge?” He flashed a frustrated glance at 4S who shrugged nervously.

“Lead tech?”

“Ugh finally.” He let out a stiff sigh as the voice on the other line transferred him along to someone who he could actually speak to... hopefully.

“Uh... hello yes, my partner is dy—”

"Wait, what...? Bone... meat...?

"What the hell are you even talking about?"

"Please, give me someone who knows more than five words!"

"Geez..."

"Oh... hello... are you able to h—”

“Oh, uh... Y-YoRHa number 2 type B.”

“Yes.”

“2 months and 12 days.”

“Yes.” 9S leaned up against a dead machine as he gave a detailed summary of 2B's symptoms.

“What? Yes I've tried turning her off and back on again!”

“I've tried to clean all the tar out but it keeps coming back!”

“No, her body keeps rejecting any new parts from salvaged units.”

“Yes, yes _I've tried that._ ”

“That too!”

“That doesn't even have anything to _do_ with this problem!”

“Yes, I _figured_ she's going to need a new body but we don't _have_ one!”

“No, I _can't_ contact the Bunker for a replacement, _you_ destroyed it!”

“Wait, what?”

All of a sudden the ground began rumbling and within moments thousands of small stubbies began pouring over the edge of the pit from all directions. 9S screamed and nearly dropped the phone as he prepared to fight, but 4S held out his hand and waited calmly as the machines approached. They all began clambering up the nearest pillar on the tower and quickly formed a giant sphere with their bodies, similar to what 9S and 2B saw in the desert ruins.

“Is that—” 9S began but was cut off as the sphere creaked open and gallons of glowing white fluid spilled out followed by the body of a machine... or... an android?

It fell from the sky and landed at 9S' feet with a wet thud. He jumped back and screamed and held his sword in front of him until he got a good look at it.

“2...2B?! A 2B model?” He ran forward and rolled the body on its back to get a better look. It was a 2B model all right; everything about it looked exactly the same, right down to the beauty mark on her chin.

“Is this really...? Pod, scan it. Is this really a 2B model?”

“...Affirmative. This model's signature matches YoRHa number 2 type B by 100%.”

“I don't believe it.” He breathed. “The machines can just... make androids now?”

“Apparently.” 4S shrugged, looking off into the sky. “Also, here.” He tossed a plain hospital gown at 9S who only now began to register how completely naked this copy was. He quickly dressed her, face red as an angry machine's eyes before bundling her up in his arms and taking off in the direction of the real 2B.

“You're welcome!” A2 snarked.

“Oh, uh, thank you! Thank you so so much!” 9S screamed back. “I'll repay you properly later, I have to go!”

By the time they could respond, he was already out of earshot, well on his way to 2B. He raced across the bridge and impatiently jumped from foot to foot on the elevator. He shoved his way through before the doors were even fully open and rushed to 2B's side. Thankfully, she had not left the mat; it seemed the entire time she had lay curled up listlessly as she waited for 9S to return.

“2B. 2B!” 9S cried out. She weakly lifted her head up to see him, and her eyes widened as she caught sight of the copy in his arms.

“What is...” She mumbled, still somewhat out of it, but with quite a bit more energy in her voice than before.

“I have a replacement! I don't know how, or why... but the machines, they created a copy just like that. I'll explain more later, let me transfer your data before it's too late!” He lay the copy beside 2B and began the data transfer process as 2B looked on in confusion and tentative optimism.

Within minutes the transfer was complete and 9S said a soft goodbye to the old 2B before shutting her down.

“All right...” He gulped. “Here goes nothing.” He activated 2B's new body and called out to her as she came to.

“N-Nines.” She murmured as her hazy blue eyes cracked open to look straight into his.

“2B...? It worked? You remember me?”

She nodded and smiled before sitting up and immediately throwing herself into his arms. 9S burst into tears and they both cried and cried and cried until their bodies could put forth no more.

9S buried his head in her chest and ran his fingers through her still-damp hair as 2B did the same for him. After another long moment of silence, he let out a soft chuckle.

“Heh... nothing the machines do makes any sense...” He laughed. “But... I'm glad one of those things is this... I'm so glad...”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ending D:  
> Re[D]ownload.


	6. Bad －

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9S couldn't successfully kill 2B and instead...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 1 of 4 of the alternate endings.  
> Bad -  
> Bad +  
> Good -  
> Good +
> 
> Oh yeah I guess I should probably warn you these aren't joke endings anymore.  
> Enjoyyyyyyyyyy

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

Sunk her nails into his skin, tearing a deep gash in his face and down his neck. He screamed and stumbled back as she thrashed around under him, throwing him off with surprising strength.

"2B!" He wheezed, putting pressure on his laceration. "It's me! 9S! Your Nines!"

'2B' simply screamed a broken scream and charged again, colliding with him and sinking her teeth into his shoulder while scratching whatever she could reach.

The harsh sound of the elevator doors opening tore her attention from 9S and she exploded after this new threat. Her screeching was deafening until all of a sudden it was cut short.

9S lay panting, in shock in the smashed flowers until he shook himself back to reality and flipped over. His eyesight readjusted to see A2 standing over 2B's fallen body, sword dark with her blood.

“No nononono no no no no NO!” 9S screamed and scrambled on hands and knees to his fallen lover. Blood, thick and black poured out of a deep gash along her throat and through her chest. A faint gurgle could be heard as she released her last breath and went still.

“A2...” He growled lowly. “Why... **why the hell did you do that?** ” He shot up, still gripping 2B's limp body in his arms and stormed over to her. The blood from his wounds poured freely and mixed with the putrid slime that flowed from his partner.

“You killed her!”

“She was already gone!” A2 snapped back. “You saw her. That _thing_ wasn't 2B.”

“She was still in there and _I_ was supposed to be the one to give her peace. She wanted _me_ to do it. Not _you._ ” He coughed, sending flecks of darkening blood spraying in all directions. A2 stepped back and wiped the droplets from her face and stood her ground from the raging Scanner.

“You took that away from me! You took it... you took... she wanted me...” His voice faded and the rage flowed from his body to be replaced by crushing despair. He sunk to his knees and buried his face in 2B's chest and screamed and cried and cursed and called out to her again and again and again.

A2's demeanor shifted as well and she slowly lowered her guard and approached 9S.

“9S.” She said softly, her voice gentle and kind... almost like 2B's.

He growled and pressed himself closer to her.

“I'm... I'm sorry... It was the heat of the moment and—”

“Get out...” He growled too low for her to hear.

“What?”

“Get. Out.” He lifted his tar-stained face and stared daggers into his lover's bedraggled doppelganger.

A2 sighed and stood, giving one last look at the pitiful sight before her before turning to leave.

“ **Get out and don't ever come near us again!** ” He screamed as loud as his voice processors could handle.

She hung her head and closed the elevator door without looking back. 9S glared at the doors unblinkingly until the sound of its ascending car faded into background noise.

His head fell and he curled around 2B and screamed again, and again, and again.

"Oh, 2B..." He sobbed. "I'm so sorry... I didn't even... get to... get to..."

He broke down further, falling deeper and deeper into despair until a cruel mix of blood loss and exhaustion stole his consciousness away from him.

 

He awoke some unknown time later, bedraggled and delirious; his face and throat were stiff with a thick layer of staunching gel frantically applied by his Pod. It floated nearby yet he ignored it, refused to thank it as he dragged himself over to the corpse of his lover and looked into her cold, decaying face.

“Those damn machines.” He rasped.

“This _damn war._.. I'm going to end this... destroy every last one of them!” He clawed his way to his feet and hobbled over to the elevator, leaving 2B's body in the dust. When the doors closed and the car began to rise, he was overtaken by a single sharp cough that he covered with his hand. He wiped it on his pants, thinking nothing of the small, black splotches on his palm.

 

When he arrived back at the Resistance camp, a strange hush spread throughout camp as he limped to the med tent. The twins hurriedly stitched his face together and replenished his blood supply and he rushed back into the field without so much as a thank you.

Time passed like a fever dream as he tore through the three recovery units.

The first one was easy enough. Just hack and tear through the enemies, ignoring their fake screams of pain and climbing up, up, and up until he smashed the core with just his fists, shattering one wrist in the process. He ignored the pain and the dark blood leaking from the split skin and continued.

The second was more challenging. Hacking games that, in the past, would have been a breeze for him to beat now took him dozens of tries to complete. By the time he reached the last chest, he was so angry and fed up with the endless puzzles that he tore a bar from the railing and beat the lock until it shattered and the chest popped open.

He arrived at the top and could feel a vague hacking attempt on him. Corrupted images and memories of 2B flashed in his mind and he screamed at the entity that began to take shape before him. A wave of black water rushed out from him and swallowed it up; faint, garbled screams could be heard until the second core spontaneously shattered.

The third unit nearly cost him his life multiple times. By then, he had abandoned hacking altogether; now preferring to slash and smash the machines with his cruel, yellowed sword and anything he could wrap his working hand around.

Hours passed and when he reached the top, he almost didn't recognize 21O appear before him, eyes red with corruption. He attacked her as he did any other enemy until her warped screams of his name and unanswered wishes about family gave him pause. She lunged at him as he was overtaken with a coughing fit but the sharp sting of A2's sword stopped her dead in her tracks.

“I told you... to stay away from me.” 9S wheezed as he regained his footing. He grabbed his sword and slammed it on the floor threateningly and began to advance on her before the floor gave way beneath him and everything went dark.

He awoke again sometime later; the recovery unit had collapsed and A2 was nowhere to be found. He rolled over and struggled to his feet and nearly crawled to the tower to attempt entry.

He couldn't do it.

Hours passed and he tried again and again to hack but his mind was slipping and his body was deteriorating.

When he all but collapsed on the ground in despair, a pair of high-pitched, feminine laughs echoed out from nowhere in particular and the four barriers vanished into thin air.

His Pod warned him it was a trap, but he swiped at the annoying machine and ascended the elevator anyway.

He made short work of the corrupted YoRHa that charged at him in the hallway. The feminine voices chattered on about something he couldn't quite understand anymore as he forced his way into the large, darkened room.

The doors slammed shut and the 2B models descended from above, surrounding him and waiting silent and still for him to make the first move.

“2B?” He gasped slowly spinning around to look at all of them. “2Bs?”

“Haha... there's so many of you!”

They continued to wait.

“I thought... I thought A2 killed you but you're here! A lot of you! Hahaha!”

Suddenly one charged and swiped at him, cutting through the thick fabric of his uniform and through the softer flesh hidden beneath. He fell back with a garbled cry and clambered back up against a pillar. She circled around silently and advanced on him again. He waved his sword at her and just barely managed to deflect her next blow before plunging the blade deep into her neck.

“W-wait no!” He coughed. “I'm the one... supposed to kill you... remember?”

The others charged at him and he scrambled back; their cheaply made blades tore into him all the same, spilling blackened, putrid blood from his body.

“No no NO NO NO! Why are you doing this!? I'm sup... hrghh...” His words were cut short by the bite of a blade through his chest, and then another, and another. With his last breath, he forced out his final words.

“2B... it... hurts...”

 

Hours later, A2 came across his mutilated body, swords still jutting out of him in all directions. The clones were nowhere to be found, likely fallen off the edge as they wandered aimlessly around after they slew their only target. She knelt beside him and sighed softly, stroking his ratty, stained hair and whispering silent apologies.

She picked up his body and walked away, carrying him back to the resting place of his love to reunite them for the final time. She walked back to camp slowly, passing the shattered corpses of fallen YoRHa, leaving The Tower to stand tall for the rest of eternity.

 


	7. Bad ＋

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y'all up for some more pain?

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

She lunged forward, sinking her blackened teeth into his throat. 9S fell back and she flipped around and bit down harder, tearing into the soft flesh of his neck and severing wires and arteries hidden below.

9S could only let out a surprised gurgle as she tore into him. He fumbled for his sword, life quickly spilling out of him, until he weakly gripped the handle. Dizzy and disoriented, he smacked 2B with the flat of the blade once, twice, until he finally managed to twist it enough and slam it into her back.

2B reared back, screaming in pain; 9S took the time to scramble out of her grasp and point the sword in her direction, despite his failing vision.

“2B...” He wheezed. “P-please.”

But the thing that was 2B howled a dirty, corrupted howl and charged again.

With the last of his strength, 9S plunged the sword forward, making his mark straight between her eyes. She let out one final cry before collapsing in the dirt, her body shuddering as her systems overloaded.

9S crumpled to the ground and dragged himself to her. Dozens of warnings screamed in his head as his systems overheated and processes failed. He ignored them; instead, he reached forward with a trembling hand to brush 2B's hair from her face.

Her eyes slowly shifted in his direction and she let out a pitiful wheeze. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out.

“2...B...” He coughed.

“N...i...nes...” She responded faintly. “I... s...sor...ry...”

The final twinkle of light left in her eyes faded and all functions ceased. 9S opened his mouth to respond, but words escaped him... Instead, he simply closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers as his remaining systems shut down one-by one.

 

Moments later the elevator doors creaked open and A2 was met with the sight of the two star-crossed lovers still-warm bodies wrapped up in their final embrace.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tune in next week for another exciting episode.  
> (I promise they'll be less painful)


	8. Good －

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4S found a cure... of sorts...

9S let out a pitiful wail as his hands slowly closed around 2B's throat. She smiled at him, the light in her eyes almost completely gone but still full of love for him. She raised her hand to brush his cheek and...

“9S stop!” A2 screamed from the still-opening elevator.

Both he and 2B jumped and snapped their heads toward her to see her panting and gripping the side of the door. 9S could just make out a small book held under her arm, but he refused to move from 2B.

“4S... tried to call you... but your Pods... have no reception...” She straightened up and took a deep breath before hurriedly walking toward them. 9S held tight to 2B's shoulders but relaxed slightly when A2 held out the book to him. He took it and looked at the disheveled Android questioningly.

“What... is this?”

“A journal from an Android who had almost the exact same symptoms as 2B.”

“Did they find a cure!?” He almost screamed. 2B pushed herself up and he instinctively wrapped a hand around her back.

A2 nodded. “More or less... it won't be easy though.”

“I don't _care_!” He snapped. “I'll do whatever it takes.”

“Nines.”

“2B...” He whimpered turning back to her. “Oh my god I almost...”

She pressed her face up against him. “Shh... you didn't... so...”

“Y-yeah... I gotta... I gotta read this right now.” He pulled himself off 2B and rushed to turn a light on and nearly ripped the book opening it so fast. She nestled up beside him and closed her eyes, burying herself in the folds of his clothes.

 

August 11, 11822

 

The journal began abruptly; an Android was caught in an attack on his caravan and separated from his team. The road crumbled beneath his truck and he was sent tumbling into the marsh at the base of the mountain. When he awoke some unknown time later, the sounds of fighting had ceased and he was left alone, lower half of his body crushed and pinned beneath his totaled truck.

He tried with all his might to free himself, but his body was too damaged and the truck too heavy. So he decided to start a journal to record his days until his team returned... hopefully before it was too late.

He detailed his experience in excruciating detail, so much so that 9S could feel phantom pains in his legs and hips sometimes when he described them. The first few days were normal... well, as normal as a journal about a trapped and gravely injured Android could be... but roughly a week in, something began to change.

At first it was smaller things: handwriting quality gradually declined, dates got mixed up, observations became less and less detailed. But soon, the changes began looking worryingly familiar.

Black specks began showing up on the pages and gradually grew thicker and more numerous. 9S put his nose to the pages and recoiled as the same acrid smell as the tar that afflicted 2B clung to the paper. His demeanor changed; his original terrified, yet vaguely hopeful outlook slowly deteriorated. In the beginning, he constantly worried about his friends, hoping they found safety and would soon return to him. But the longer he waited for their return, the more bitter and angry he became.

Why didn't they come back for him?

Were they all dead?

Did they forget about him?

He had no way of knowing, no way of contacting them. He was alone, just like 2B was for those entire two weeks. 9S squeezed her tighter and kissed the top of her head. She had been listening to him read aloud, despite not quite comprehending or remembering everything she was hearing. It seemed that constantly reading to her was doing her some good at least. While she did start slipping occasionally, with low growls reverberating in her throat and jolts of pure fear and aggression flashing in her eyes as she looked up at the complete stranger holding on to her so intimately, 9S never allowed them to worsen.

He would simply put the book down and talk to her quietly, gently reminding her who he was and that they were safe and secure in this little cavern. Her mind would slowly clear as he had her tell him her favorite swords, places she wished to visit, people she cared about. He dug through his bag and pulled out his unused visor for her to chew on to help keep her occupied as he continued on.

The splotches of tar and grime in the book became thick enough that 9S began having trouble reading it. But he continued, until just over three weeks in when the journal had a sudden break and a short passage of clear, unique handwriting was scratched on a blank sheet.

 

September 3, 11822: After three weeks of being barricaded in a cave fighting off the machine lifeforms, we returned to find Elm still alive. He had lost consciousness some three days ago by the looks of his journal and is in terrible condition.

  * His legs and pelvis are shattered and likely will have to be completely replaced.

  * His injuries seem to be leaking a strange, black tar that smells of rust, burnt plastic, and some other unknown foul smells.

  * His more recent journal entries are... worrying. I hope he understands that we did everything in our power to reach him and that he'll one day forgive us for leaving him out here for so long.




We've administered first aid and are currently transporting him back to base to attempt to repair him. I pray that everything will go well, but these abnormalities we've noticed are concerning.

 

9S gently shook 2B awake to share the message to her. She perked up for a moment upon hearing of his rescue, but soon drifted back to sleep, still absentmindedly chewing on the black fabric. 9S shifted himself around and dove right back into the journal.

 

The Android's next entry didn't come for another five days. There was a noticeable improvement in his handwriting and the cleanliness of the paper, but there still was something clearly off about him.

He became secretive of his journal, hiding it away from his friends despite originally stating the sole purpose was to eventually share it with them. It eventually got to the point where he became secretive of even writing in it, stealing away behind a tree and constantly looking behind his back.

His attitude flashed between hopeful and pessimistic as his friends worked tirelessly to repair him. They successfully cleaned out the tar and patched up the more superficial injuries, but his body rejected any new transplants despite being the same make and model as his entire team.

...It also seemed the stress of knowing the replacement parts were from his fallen comrades didn't help much.

Eventually, they gave up entirely on replacements; instead, they patched him up as well as they could so he could at least hobble around and help out around camp with simpler things. He became resentful and afraid every time his friends left on a mission... especially when they came back with fewer than they left with.

He started writing more and more about lapses in memory and consciousness, heightened aggression and lashing out at people, and the increase in his body's production of sludge. His handwriting quickly deteriorated once again and the pages collected more and more spots of tar.

They were running out of options.

Everyone was frazzled and hopeless and on edge with each other.

He was considering... ending it to spare his team the trouble.

9S looked to 2B who was barely conscious in that moment. She slowly turned her head to his and looked at him with her dull, gray eyes.

“They'll find something, they'll find a cure.” He breathed. “Why would 4S give this to us if they didn't?”

2B nodded and closed her eyes and 9S continued reading as fast as he could.

Finally, they had an idea. With the materials they had available, they were able to create a functioning backup system for his data. It was a shot in the dark, not knowing if it would even store his data correctly, but after he attacked a friend for the third time, he, and everyone else were willing to try anything.

All they had to do... was kill him.

Kill him and spend months cleaning out every last speck of tar from his systems, replace every damaged part, and do a complete factory reset of his memories.

It wasn't a guaranteed fix, but it was the only chance they had, so that's what they did.

9S hand trembled as he turned the page; his handwriting was replaced by the handwriting of the team member overseeing the repairs. It became a detailed log of everything they did to fix him, and how they created and maintained the backup up until the day of his revival. She wrote a short note of hope and well wishes to him and everyone involved and signed off.

The next entry came after several skipped pages.

It was him, freshly reactivated nearly four months later with no signs of the illness... but they hadn't restored his memories yet. The fear and confusion about everything his friends had told him after he awoke was quite apparent in the journal, but it was clear that despite the full reset, he still had some sort of unexplained connection to all of them.

They all seemed to notice, and they all made sure it was recorded in the book.

After days of tests and scans and tweaks, the group felt ready to attempt a backup restoration.

And...

The next page was entirely filled with a single, repeated phrase.

_I remember!_

_I remember!_

_I remember!_

_I remember!_

_I remember!_

The next entry was from the same Android that died all those months ago. Same handwriting, same mannerisms, same memories... mostly...

The backup wasn't perfect by any means... thoughts were scrambled, memories lost, emotions changed.

But..

He was alive, and he was the same person he was before... more or less...

And 9S thought, even if... even if they couldn't get every one of 2B's memories back... he could still get _her_ back. At this point it was either that or lose everything.

He wanted to jump and cry and celebrate and dance across the room with 2B in his arms... but there were still dozens upon dozens of pages written.

Did he simply choose to continue documenting his life in that journal...

Or...

Was that not the end of their troubles?

9S took a deep breath and turned the page.

“ _No._ ”

Within the next few days, the Android suffered a sudden deterioration as the same exact illness from before overtook him once again. The onset was quick and violent until after only five days after reactivation, he attacked one of his friends once again.

They weren't about to give up on him after all that though.

Again they deactivated him. Again they did a full system reset. Again they repaired and reactivated him.

The next entry by him was nearly word-for-word copy of the entry after his first reactivation... until he was reunited with his friends again. Their celebration was much more subdued, and tentative. But there was still a shimmer of hope in all of them.

They assumed that his systems just weren't able to handle being flooded with hundreds of years of data all at once.

So they decided to space his restoration out over the next few weeks.

9S skimmed the next few dozen entries so fast he nearly ripped the pages until...

“ _No no!_ ”

It happened again... The day they reached the memories of his descent... he reverted once again.

Within a day they had him strapped back down and reset. And within another two days he was back up and running.

By that time they all realized what was triggering his regression.

They couldn't restore his memories past the day he was pinned beneath his truck.

Months of memories erased.

Every interaction, everything they did for him, how hard they worked to save him... those would have to be erased forever...

That was the only way to save him... so that's what they did.

Again they returned his memories and his bonds with his friends reformed.

Memories jumbled.

Emotions scrambled.

Timelines mixed.

And the last portion of his life gone.

But he was still him.

He was still him, and they were still together, and despite everything, they moved on.

9S bit down on his lip as he flipped through the pages, hopeful, yet terrified of what he might find... Yet the entries continued on with no signs of the mystery illness returning until the final page was filled with a simple entry about a simple day.

9S skimmed through the journal again and again, as if the next time he opened it, something would change... for better or for worse.

But it didn't.

There was a cure.

It wasn't perfect.

It wasn't easy.

But it was there.

And 9S wasn't going to let that chance slip away.

He woke 2B from her shallow sleep and relayed the information, sometimes talking so fast he stumbled over his own tongue and had to start over.

“We have your sword.” He said. “You have your memories backed up in your sword, right?”

She nodded. “It's not a full backup though... it's simply a copy of the visual and audio data... no thoughts or emotions behind them.”

“Oh...” He murmured. “Then... we have to build something else too—”

“Just do it now.” She said. “I don't know how much longer... I can hold on... like this. I don't want to lose them but...” Her voice quieted to a whisper... “It's what I deserve.”

“2B!”

“Please!” She cried out. “I've shared everything I can with you, given back what I took from you as best I could. Keep those memories safe for me and... just restore what you can... and we'll just... move on from there.”

His jaw trembled as he fought for words. “O-okay.” He finally nodded. “Then... let's hurry.”

 

In less than a day the preparations were complete. Before they began, however, 2B motioned her pod to come over and record a message for herself. She feared she would revert back to her E-unit status if given her old memories with no assurance that she was free from that cruel cycle. 9S listened intently as she sang praises of what a kind, gentle, dedicated person he was; he could barely hold himself together when she asked him to speak as well.

When 2B felt the message was complete, 9S gripped her sword tightly as he kissed her goodbye and shut her down completely.

It took all he had not to break down in a panic attack right then and there. He couldn't stop there, not when he had months of work ahead of him before even having the chance to see her again.

The next few months passed entirely too fast yet entirely too slow for 9S. He spent all his waking hours dedicated to restoring 2B. Part of it was spent by her side, scouring ever last inch of her internal hardware. Part of it was spent out researching and collecting whatever replacement parts he could get his hands on.

A2 and 4S stopped by every few days to check on him and make sure he didn't end up spiraling down the same path 2B had. His seclusion worried them both and they did their best to pull him away for a few minutes at a time to keep him from going insane.

The Tower was becoming a bigger and bigger threat to Androids in the city, so in the middle of it all, 9S, A2, and 4S were forced to storm it together. It was a long and grueling battle against the entire machine network. 9S nearly lost himself when the dozens of clones of 2B descended from the sky, but A2 and 4S were there to knock some sense into him and help him defeat the fake copies.

They stayed by each other's sides, held together by toothpicks, chewing gum, and small slivers of hope as they ascended. N2 tormented them as they pushed on, but the tricks and torture lessened and lessened the further they went.

The network was... changing... they saw these three broken and abused Androids push on through everything thrown at them. They saw 9S' unwavering dedication, A2's hidden kindness, 4S quiet support and their determination to take back their home and protect the ones they loved.

The network saw this... and incorporated it into their own programming... They began to care about their own, and realized the only way to protect the surviving machines was to stop fighting entirely. Without any of the three Androids realizing what was happening, the machine network loaded copies of everyone connected onto the Ark and departed into the void of space. The network then collapsed and The Tower was sent crashing to the ground.

9S couldn't stop there, he couldn't waste another second thinking about the fate of the machines. He doubled down and dug through the rubble in search of any information they might have collected... but by the time 2B was ready for reactivation... nothing new was found.

Five months passed... five, long, lonely months passed and finally 2B was repaired almost perfectly.

9S cursed at the sky; had they been regular Androids, he could have easily repaired her in a fraction of that time. But with YoRHa-imposed limits on part compatibility, it was already hard enough to find parts her body would accept as-is. At least with the illness seemingly removed, her body finally stopped rejecting even perfectly compatible parts.

 

Five months, three days, sixteen hours, and forty-seven minutes and he was finally confident enough to attempt reactivation. He kept her sword within reach, yet hidden from her view... just in case.

4S and A2 waited silently nearby, although 9S was apprehensive about letting A2 near considering what happened before. But he shook it from his head after she assured him she would use non-lethal means to subdue her if anything went wrong.

With everything set and ready, and all traces of the illness, even the smell that permeated the room removed, 9S stood over her and began reactivation.

He called out to her, again and again as her systems slowly booted up. Her lids twitched and slowly opened and her hazy blue eyes locked on his teary face. She looked at him with worry and confusion as he read off his lines with a quiver in his voice.

“9S, was it?” She asked after he finished.

“Y-y-yes.” He nodded, sniffling.

“Your voice... it's very calming.”

9S jaw dropped open as the emotional gut punch quite literally knocked the wind out of him. He stared at her for a moment before all at once his emotions flooded forth and he couldn't help but throw himself on her, crying at the top of his lungs.

2B gasped and nearly fell over, her body tensed as this complete stranger wailed about how much he missed her and how sorry he was. But for some reason, she soon relaxed and placed a hand tenderly on his back as he continued sobbing uncontrollably.

When his cries began to subside and he regained some control of himself, he awkwardly pulled himself back, apologizing profusely for what he did. 2B's hand still clung to his back and she looked at him with soft eyes and not quite a smile on her face.

“We were close, weren't we?”

He nodded shakily, wiping the tears from his face and sniffling.

“We were... I'm sorry I just... I missed you so much... I have your memories here... I just...” 9S closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I'm sorry... let me start from the beginning.” He sighed as he handed her the message she recorded.

Over the next few hours, 9S talked endlessly to 2B trying to catch her up on what happened as he ran test after test on her. Everything seemed normal so far, no sign of the illness returning; he desperately wanted to hurry up and give her memories back already, but he had to be sure her systems were ready for them first.

Despite not really knowing him in that moment besides what he told her and she told herself, she talked with him almost as if he were an old friend. Her touches lingered on him a fraction of a second longer than needed and when he sat down for a quick rest, she knelt beside him, shoulders nearly touching.

“So...” He murmured after he was as confident as he could be with her results. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. “I want to remember you.”

He bit his lip and nodded back. “Me too, 2B.” He responded, voice cracking.

They both took a deep breath as 9S hooked her to her sword's terminal and booted up the restoration process.

 

Things went smoothly at first; the few months of memories before 9S entered her life were easy enough for her to process. She perked up noticeably as she finally remembered her first meeting with him. 9S sat close by, monitoring her carefully for any signs of the illness returning.

As the memories continued filling her mind, suddenly, a horrified look grew on her face until suddenly she jumped back, pulling the cables from the sword. 9S reached out to her but she jerked back even further like an injured animal. She looked at him wide-eyed and shaking her head repeatedly.

“I-I-I.... I really did...” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Kill you.”

9S nodded solemnly. “You had no choice.”

As 2B stared in shock and began to break down, 9S decided it was best they took a long break before the next session. Their sleep was shallow and filled with worries that night; they lay next to each other, not quite touching but able to just barely feel the warmth radiating from the other.

The next day they continued, and over the next few weeks he slowly fed her her memories and felt their bond reforming bit by bit. By the time a month passed, 2B was nestled snugly in his arms as they slept.

A few days later the two were assigned to an urgent mission regarding an attack on a nearby Resistance outpost. They rushed out to aid them and dispatched the enemies with no issues. 9S let out an exaggerated sigh and checked 2B over thoroughly before heading back.

Not long into their walk, 2B abruptly stopped, staring intensely at a seemingly-average abandoned building.

Except... people don't just stare at random things like that.

“2B?”

“Let's go.” She said flatly and continued on, leaving 9S to dash over to catch up to her.

That night he noticed she was slightly on edge, but she assured him she was fine and he reluctantly resumed the memory transfer.

When she watched herself run her sword through him once again, this time, her whole body convulsed and she doubled over, letting out out the most ear-shattering, soul-crushing scream 9S has ever heard.

She screamed, and screamed, and nothing 9S tried to calm her with did anything. He just sat there and held her despite her growing snarls and fearful clawing at his body. She eventually wore herself out and was left panting and groaning in his arms.

He held his voice as steady as possible as he softly talked to her and assured her everything was ok. His last shred of composure flew out the window when she slowly lifted her head to reveal dull gray eyes and a trickle of acrid tar dripping from her mouth.

_No no no no!_

Why was this happening? Why so fast? They hadn't come close to showing her the memories of her descent. 9S fumbled around for a wash cloth and tenderly wiped the grime from her face and smoothed down her hair as he broke down.

They were going to have to start over... from the beginning... Another full month's memories lost.

“I'm so sorry.” They cried to each other as he laid her down to begin the reset once again.

When she was reactivated once more, just a few days later this time, his greeting was more subdued, more cautious than before. When he showed her her message to herself, she pulled him into a tight embrace. He held her back and cried into the arms of this complete stranger for what felt like hours.

Then, they began again.

And within three weeks... it happened again.

And again.

And again...

No matter what they tried, or changed... she eventually regressed after a particularly painful memory wormed its way back in her mind.

By the fifth reactivation, 9S could barely look at her in shame. He simply handed her the message and apologized weakly as he waited quietly for her to finish.

He slowly turned to her after it ended and saw her once-again blue eyes filled with tears and she all but threw herself on him and held him tight, nuzzling him and kissing him and whispering words of comfort and apology as he let himself break down once again.

They slept close that night; 9S' arms wrapped around her and held her to him as she breathed calmly and with no hint of infection... for now.

Less than two weeks passed that time and signs of relapse started showing. This time though, 9S was the one to run screaming to the surface. He tore through the abandoned mall until he ran across the lifeless shell of a machine and began beating it with a rusty pipe, cursing and screaming all the while.

2B approached him cautiously and called out to him as his energy drained, but he didn't turn on her or begin coughing up sludge...

No... this was simply the symptom of someone watching their last shred of hope slip through their fingers.

2B wiped the tar from her lips as best she could and knelt beside him. She talked to him as calmly as she could and led him back home.

“Nines.” She said quietly.

“I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you...” 9S murmured tossing the metal pipe far from the dented machine. “I just...”

“It's ok.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Reset me again... and this time... don't give me back any memories...”

“Wh... what?” He gasped. “But... 2B!”

“It's not going to work... I get that now...” She pressed her face to his chest. “Whatever's causing this... it's somehow tied to... it's tied to how painful it is to keep seeing myself kill you.”

“But...”

“You know it's true.” She snapped. “You said it yourself before...”

His body sank and he nodded slowly. “Then... what if we gave you memories having nothing to do with that?”

“What difference does it make?” She sighed. “Having a handful of cherry-picked good memories is just... not much better than not having any at all... It's just... a lie... a lie that I don't want to live. I... feel... I felt empty enough just waking up and not knowing who you were... I can't imagine how it'd feel only remembering parts of you and knowing that what I don't know was because I knew I couldn't... well... you know what I mean.”

9S closed his eyes and groaned harshly.

“I don't want you to forget me.”

“ _Nines._ ”

“I know... I know... I just... I'm sorry... I know at this point that... dragging you along like this is just...” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Selfish... but... I don't want to lose you.”  
“You won't lose me...” She squeezed him tightly. “I'll still be here... I just... YoRHa is gone... there's nothing that will keep us apart now... so just... we'll make new memories.” Her voice began to crack as tears welled up in her eyes.

“We'll make new memories and you can just... tell me what I missed.” She coughed and bit down on her arm as her mind briefly faded. It only lasted a moment and she breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look in 9S' eyes.

“I don't want you to go through this again. _I_ don't want to go through this again.”

“I know.” He choked. “I know I'm sorry I'm sorry I just...” He sighed and let his head fall limply into 2B's arms. She stroked his soft hair as he sobbed quietly for another long moment before continuing.

“Is... is there anything you want to do before... this?”

She ran her hand up and down his back. “Just... let's stay like this for a little while longer.”

He nodded and closed his eyes as 2B let all her feelings out to him.

They fell asleep in each other's arms, and when 2B woke up coughing out an unholy amount of tar, they knew it was time.

After some more touches, some more kisses, some more words of comfort and love, 2B lay down on her cot and awaited her reset.

“Goodbye 2B.”

“Goodbye Nines.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

 

She awoke nestled in 9S' arms that time, and despite him being a complete stranger once again, she closed her eyes and smiled, pressing sweetly into the soft fabric of his undershirt.

Her sword lay protected in a sturdy chest, kept safe and secure with the vague hope that one day her body would finally accept those precious memories.

 


	9. Good ＋

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 9S has an idea.

2B closed her eyes and took a deep breath, pulling 9S to her. “Reset me again... and this time... don't give me back any memories...”

“Wh... what?” He gasped. “But... 2B!”

“It's not going to work... I get that now...” She pressed her face to his chest. “Whatever's causing this... it's somehow tied to... it's tied to how painful it is to keep seeing myself kill you.”

“But...”

“You know it's true.” She snapped. “You said it yourself before...”

“I-I...” He stuttered and buried his face even deeper. “There has to be something...”

“Nines.”

“Just... just give me a moment...” His mind raced through every option again and again and again, playing scenarios, looking from every angle... until an answer started forming in his mind.

...Something so obvious he wanted to scream at himself for not realizing it the first time.

_Ugh, stupid stupid stupid, how could you not see that???_

“2B!” He yelped, head jolting up to meet her eyes.

“What?”

“We need to leave.”

“ _What?_ ”

“We need to go far away from here... I... ugh god why didn't we try this before?”

“Try what?”

“Sorry I...” He took a deep breath. “You don't start declining until you leave the cave and start going on missions with me... out in the city you've had to kill me in so many times...

“What if just _being here_ is what's causing it? What if just the association with places you've felt so much pain in is triggering something inside you to revert? What if leaving and going far away from anywhere we've ever been before is what you need?”

“I...” She paused. “I...” Her hands began to tremble and she curled her fingers and tugged on his hair.

“Let's do it.”

With no time to waste, the two began packing all of their meager belongings into various boxes and bags littered around the cave floor. As they neared completion, one more thought came to 9S.

“What if I don't need to reset you this time?” He gasped. “You're in perfect health now other than that small amount of tar buildup... If we just get you far away from here before you decline anymore then maybe we can reverse it.”

He let out a strained laugh. “We have to try... If we take the next ship out of here, we can keep you safely below deck until they drop us off somewhere.”

“I-it's...” She stuttered. “It's worth a try.”

9S jumped with newfound energy and tossed the last of their belongings in their bags and tore out of the cave to Anemone. He dumped every last bit of money, data, and equipment on her for a spot on the next departure. As they waited for the ship to arrive, 9S painstakingly cleaned out 2B's hardware again and again. He didn't dare power her on again until they were safely in their new home.

He stayed by her side the entire route far to the east; the sky began to darken until the sun lay on the horizon in permanent twilight. Commotion above deck signaled their arrival and 9S peered out the porthole to see a vast landscape of short grasses and stunted trees no taller than his hips. Mountains towered in the distance and twinkling lights of small settlements of Androids and machines dotted the range.

A small port city came into view as the ship turned to dock. The scattering of tiny, white stone houses that had recently been repaired after millennia of neglect set off a wave of hope in his chest.

The Resistance helped 9S carry 2B and their belongings to a small building at the edge of town. He thanked them profusely but nearly shoved them out the door in his haste to reactivate her. After another thorough check, he sealed her chest panel and restarted her.

She woke cradled in his arms and sighed softly as she looked out the window into the endless expanse of ocean.

“I feel... lighter...” She said after a long silence.

9S smiled and wept into her hair, hoping and praying that this was the answer, that they could finally start to move on and heal and never have to worry about the mysterious illness ever again. They decided to put the remaining memory transfer on hold until they were sure it was safe to go forward.

A full month of resting and testing passed before they were confident enough to start again. In that time they traveled the area, meeting everyone and trying everything new. After they got home one day and 2B sprawled out on their airy, pure white sheets she turned to him and nodded. Not a word was said, but he knew exactly what she meant. He dove into their cellar and retrieved her sword and lay it out on the table next to their bed.

She lay on her back and waited for him to connect them and wrap himself protectively around her.

“Just a bit at a time.” He said. “Piece by piece. If we take it slow we can avoid it... and if it happens... we can reverse it again and move somewhere else.”

She nodded and closed her eyes as he began the restoration. 9S kept a close eye on her and shut the transfer off the moment her stress levels rose too high. He curled up with her in bed and talked quietly for hours as he brought her back down to a calm state.

That became the routine every few days for the next few years. It wasn't fast, it wasn't easy, it wasn't perfect, but they fought tooth and nail to keep their last chance from slipping through their fingers. With what they were given the two broken and shattered Androids pieced themselves and their lives back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here is your happy ending! Be glad I'm such a spiteful, petty bitch otherwise you would have been stuck with 2 chapters and a hole in your heart.


End file.
